About

The National Pavilion United Arab Emirates (UAE) la Biennale Di Venezia manages the UAE’s participation in various offerings of la Biennale di Venezia, which is considered by many to be the most prominent of exhibitions for contemporary art, architecture and film. The National Pavilion was established to endorse the UAE’s contemporary practices on an international platform and provide a foundation to support the nation’s diverse and developing cultural scene.

The UAE’s participation at la Biennale Di Venezia commenced in 2009 with a national pavilion at the 53rd International Art Exhibition, and has continued in subsequent editions since. Participation at the International Architecture Exhibition is marked with a debut pavilion in 2014.

Ahead of the 55th International Art Exhibition in 2013, the UAE was awarded with a historic long-term hospitality agreement (permanent pavilion) in the Arsenale – Sale d’Armi, providing the Emirates a platform to showcase visual arts and architecture for a period of 20 years. This commitment offers myriad opportunities for the UAE cultural scene to span art, architecture, film, dance, music, and theatre and ensure that UAE-based artists are presented at the forefront of international contemporary art.

The National Pavilion UAE was initiated by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development, who appointed Dr. Lamees Hamdan as Commissioner for the pavilion. She held this position from 2009 through to the 2013 participation after which the Salama bint Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation assumed responsibility of the commissioner role.

National Pavilion also organizes the Venice Internship, a specialized program offering a range of training opportunities for young citizens of the UAE to get experience in the industry through a month long internship on-site in Venice acting as exhibition managers.

REQUIRMENTS AND SCOPE OF WORK IN VENICE

Applicants should be:
— Emirati or long-term residents
— Over 21 years old
— Hold a Bachelor of Arts, Architecture and/or other related majors.
— Must speak, read and write Arabic and English fluently.
— Available to travel for up to 30 days (with written consent from parents).

Interns will be sent to Venice in groups of 2 or 3 people, on a 30-day rotation from May 2014.
— Costs covered by the Venice Internship include Schengen visa, return ticket to Venice (economy), travel insurance, accommodation, civic museum pass (access to 10 major institutions), team meals, per diem.
— Interns will be required to attend mandatory training sessions prior to their departure. Failure to participate in training will result in termination from the program.
— An Italian intern will join the group in Venice.

Once in Venice interns will be tasked with the following:

EXHIBITION MANAGEMENT
— Maintaining in the integrity of the artworks in display
— Ensure that pavilion artwork is kept in pristine exhibition condition, report any faults to National Pavilion’s office and supervise any cleaning/repairs done by designated fine-art specialists
— Monitoring, reporting and facilitating the repair of any technical faults
— Ensure that pavilion equipment is turned on and off each day, that equipment is kept in good working condition, report any faults to technical company and ensure that equipment is duly and quickly repaired/replaced
— Maintaining the integrity of the exhibition
— Ensure that the pavilion is always neat and tidy. Tidy furniture and ensure dust is kept off artwork, equipment and furniture, supervise cleaning (by Biennale-appointed cleaners).
— Opening and closing the exhibition everyday

VISITORS SERVICES
— Running guided tours of the works when requested to
— Greeting visitors and providing basic to comprehensive information about the National Pavilion of the UAE – its inception, concept, collaborators, sponsors, etc. These tours will follow a fixed format devised by the curator and exhibition director.
— Presenting themselves as friendly and willing to assist guests at all times
— Logging of specific enquiries and ensuring feedback to the National Pavilion’s office (UAE)

MARKETING AND PR
— Event management support – running errands, packing and giving out press kits/information packs/VIP gifts, identifying/registering/greeting/guiding guests to waiting area, etc.
— PR for the National Pavilion and social networking.
— Document/Photograph/Video the Pavilion events and record audience feedback on the pavilion
— Updates for the National Pavilion’s website
— Coordinate with pavilion collaborators on the interactive components and manage any contribution from the public
— Report if anything damaging is posted to social networking sites.
— Maintain filing system to document all PR materials as they are released in the UAE
— Market research coordination
— Keep count of how many visitors we get a day, enquiries pertaining to particular artwork/artists/ components/catalogues, etc

EDUCATIONAL ASSIGNMENTS
— Interns will submit a weekly assignment whilst in Venice based on written critiques of the Biennale, museums and other aspects of their experience in Venice.

The National Pavilion UAE was established to endorse the UAE’s contemporary art practices on an international platform and provide a foundation to support the nation’s diverse and developing cultural scene.